Ornellaia 2018 (750ML)

97 VM / 97 JS / 97 JD / 96 DE / 95 WS / 95 WA / 17 ++ JR

#66 James Suckling's Top 100 Italian Wines of 2021

For the 13th edition of Ornellaia Vendemmia d’Artista, Jan Fabre interprets the character “La Grazia” (Grace) of Ornellaia 2018, chosen to describe the sense of symmetry, proportion and harmony expressed in the nobility of the wines. The artist has created a site-specific masterpiece for the Estate, a limited series of 111 large-sized bottles and a series of 10 labels for the 750 ml bottle, the first of which is contained in each case of 6 bottles.

The 2018 Ornellaia is an introvert at this stage. Medium in body, with terrific persistence and impeccable balance, the 2018 is not in any mood to show all its cards today. Hints of red berry fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and dried flowers emerge with a bit of coaxing. I won’t be surprised to see it put on weight with more time in bottle. There is certainly plenty to look forward to. Readers should expect a silky, aromatic Ornellaia in line with vintages such as 2004 that are more about finesse than raw power. This is the first time in which Merlot drives the blend in Ornellaia. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

So aromatic and complex with blackcurrants, blueberries, fresh violets and lavender on the nose. Some graphite and iodine, too. Medium to full body with firm, chewy tannins that are polished and refined, yet the palate is so long and refined. This is an Ornellaia with strength in elegance. Try after 2025. - James Suckling

The 2018 Ornellaia is mostly Merlot but includes a solid amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and tiny amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It's a gorgeous wine that takes air to show at its best (and deserves bottle age), giving up a terrific array of red and black currants, cedar pencil, tobacco, iron, and savory herbs. These carry to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, incredibly well-balanced red that has building, ripe, polished tannins, perfectly integrated acidity, a great mid-palate, and one heck of a finish. While not a blockbuster in the exuberant, extroverted sense of the word, it has incredible intensity and depth, and this is a gem of a wine. It needs another 5-7 years to hit maturity and, I suspect, will evolve for 30-40 years.-Jeb Dunnuck

Ornellaia 2018 is appealingly gentle now, but its tannin quality and fruit clarity suggest it has the attributes for greatness over the next 15 years or more. It is also notable for its unusually high Merlot content at 51% (with 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot). The Merlot benefitted, it seems, from 2018's alternate bouts of hot, sunny weather interspersed with reviving showers. A fruit-packed Ornellaia with bright flavours and a moreish, silky-smooth and sophisticated texture allied to a potentially wide drinking window. - Monty Waldin, Decanter

Complex, sophisticated and harmonious, this pure red is marked by black currant, black cherry, cedar, iron and light spice flavors. Bright and focused, with refined tannins emerging on the spice-tinged finish. Discreet and stylish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2023 through 2040. From Italy. - BS, Wine Spectator

The 2018 Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia is complete and seamlessly stitched together with extreme care and precision. This is an almost technical blend of Merlot (at 50% of the blend for the first time), 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot that offers a true sense of wholeness and consistency that speaks to the blending expertise and experience of the winemaking team. Finding harmony among the various vinous components of the wine was especially important in this vintage that prized early-ripening grapes like Merlot over the others. Blackberry and dried cherry segue to spice, tar, campfire ash and more sweet fruit. We're off to a great start, and this vintage of Ornellaia is surely destined to flesh out and grow more complex with age. MOnica Larner - The WIne Advocate

Each grape variety and vineyard block were vinified separately. Fermentation in stainless-steel and concrete tanks, followed by maceration for about 15 days, for a total time in the vat of about three weeks. The malolactic fermentation took place mainly in oak barrels, 70% new and 30% second-use. The wine then remained in barriques in Ornellaia’s temperature-controlled cellars for about 18 months. After the first 12 months of maturation, the wine was assembled and then returned to the barriques for an additional 6 months. After bottling, the wine aged a further 12 months before release.
Deep glowing crimson. Restrained nose – more so that the Serre Nuove. This is all potential rather than actuality. Lots of dense fruit tucked in and quite a bit of tannin. Dry finish. Still a baby! - Jancis Robinson